Hi, Steven —

Good question!

It's OK to buy things we don't technically need. What we have to do is maintain a spirit of detachment from worldly things; that is, we must be poor in spirit. This means that we can't develop or encourage a love or (attachment, the opposite of detachment) for material things that interfere with our relationship with God. Look at the story of the rich young ruler in
Mark 10:17-23. A man came to Jesus asking how to be saved. After going through the commandments, Jesus said,

21 . . . Sell all you have and give it to the poor. 22 The man went away sad because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22)

The problem was not that he had wealth but that he was attached to it in a way that prevented him from responding to Jesus's call to discipleship; he had become controlled by his own possessions and was unwilling to part with them.

Only you can decide what is right for you to purchase. I think you're on the right track because you are considering the poor. Personally, I allow myself to splurge every once in a while, but I do not make a habit of buying the latest expensive toy.

• Maybe you can put yourself in that rich young ruler's position and say, if Jesus denied me this, would I walk away from Him?

  <If Yes, you need an attitude adjustment.>
  <If No, you are probably sufficiently detached to purchase it.>

Eric